Army leader General David Morrison wants to defeat sexism after

Chief of Army message on sex scandal3:06

A message from the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO, to the Australian Army following the announcement of Defence investigations into allegations of unacceptable behaviour by Army members.

HEAD of the Army, General David Morrison, wants to help women soldiers and defeat sexism in the ranks.

His frontal attack on discrimination also includes help for enlisted men who become enlisted women.

Soldiers who switch gender are being helped stay in the Army under Lieutenant General David Morrison's campaign to rout all forms of discrimination in the military.

There currently are 10 Army members who have transferred gender while still in uniform, and have received the support of their most senior officer, General Morrison.

Two of them are women who now live as men, and eight are men who now identify as women.

None are presently on operational duties but most have been deployed to danger zones such as Afghanistan and East Timor during their careers. Their ranks include at least one Lieutenant Colonel.

They form a tiny group within the 50,000-strong service, and General Morrison's dominant anti-discrimination campaign is to reinforce support for women soldiers and combat what is being seen as a sexist culture.

He stunned the public and the military yesterday by revealing investigations into as many as 90 serving officers who might be guilty of producing what he today called "highly inappropriate material demeaning women" distributed it across the internet and Defence's email networks.

"If this is true, then the actions of these members are in direct contravention of every value the Australian Army stands for," he said.

The assistance given to soldiers who have adopted a new gender identity is another indication of his determination to eliminate inequality which could prevent the Army working at its best.

The support is seen as a way of retaining skills and experience which the gender changers had accumulated during their careers. Some have served for 15 years and more. And it is possible the assistance has saved lives as gender transfer groups in the wider community are prone to high suicide rates if members are discriminated against.

The ability of soldiers who switch gender to stay enlisted has roused some criticism within the service but also has been readily accepted in many quarters.

General Morrison today repeated an appeal to soldiers to help his anti-discrimination campaign against women.

"I will be ruthless in ridding the army of people who cannot live up to its value, and I need everyone of you to support me in achieving this," he said.

"If we are a great national institution - if we care about the legacy left to us by those who have served before us, if we care about the legacy we leave to those who, in turn, will protect and secure Australia - then it is up to us to make a difference.

"If you're not up to it, find something else to do with your life. There is no place for you among this band of brothers and sisters."